Mexicantown :Detroit Development News

Recycle Here! is expanding its reach, making it easier for residents from various neighborhoods to drop-off their goods. New drop-off sites are located in Southwest Detroit, East English Village and Palmer Park.

In its first 18 months of operation, the program has reached more than 20,000 participants and has collected more that 1.3 million pounds of recyclables.

Its main facility, at 1331 Holden, is open every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The full schedule of rotating drops sites is as follows:

1st Saturday of every month: Eastern Market, Wilkins and Russell, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Three Southwest Detroit nonprofits are hosting a 'parade of homes' Saturday, July 12, at the Mexicantown Mercado to showcase the various housing options available in the area, including:

New single-family homes in Hubbard-Richard that will be Energy Star-certified and Green Communities Compliant. The three-bedroom, two-bath homes have full basements and garages and range in price from $112,500 to $116,000.

Newly renovated townhomes, also in Hubbard-Richard, that have two bedrooms, one bathroom and a full basement and are priced at $89,000.

All properties are eligible for Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax abatements. Each property has income limitations, and down payment assistance may be available to qualified buyers.

Newly renovated rental properties all over the district will be featured as well. Developed by Southwest Housing Solutions (SHS), the apartments range in price from $209 to $494 for studios, to $632 to $712 for four bedroom units.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 12 and is sponsored by Bagley Housing Association, Greater Corktown Development Corp. and Southwest Housing Solutions. The Mercado is located at 2836 Bagley Avenue between 20th
and 21st streets. For more info, call Bagley Housing at 313-964-5942.

In an effort to instigate a citywide dialogue about historic buildings that are in danger of demolition, Preservation Wayne — now called Preservation Detroit — has released a list entitled Endangered Buildings List 2008. It includes iconic structures like the Michigan Central Station, Lee Plaza Apartments, Forest Arms and the Vanity Ballroom.

The list also draws attention to several broader categories such as religious buildings no longer in use, retired schools and foreclosed single family houses.

Conversation about endangered buildings was a focal point of the group's annual membership meeting that was held on Thursday, May 22 at the Detroit Boat Club on Belle Isle -- another structure on the list.

At the event, which was attended by 150, Grunow also made the announcement that the organization was changing its name to Preservation Detroit. "It's exciting and very long overdue," he says.

The new Detroit greenways coordinator, Todd Scott, will coordinate maintenance, fundraising, security, programming,
promotions and development for the eight greenways under various stages of planning and development within the city.

Scott comes to the position with a great deal of experience in cycling advocacy. He is the former director of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association and has been involved with numerous other initiatives, including the citizen’s committee for Michigan State Parks,
MDOT Metro Region Nonmotorized Advisory Committee, City of Ferndale
Bicycle Committee and the League of Michigan Bicyclists.

"Todd’s
skilled advocacy, wealth of knowledge about nonmotorized
transportation and recreation, and understanding of and enthusiasm
for the revitalization of Detroit are key ingredients that he brings
to this project," stated Nancy Krupiarz, Executive Director of
MTGA.

Scott is currently acclimating himself to the various greenways projects on the table, including the Midtown Loop, Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink and Connor Creek Greenway. "The greenways in Detroit have so much variety in terms of where groups are at," says Scott.
"I'm finding that there are similar challenges and
different challenges."

Finding affordable liability insurance for the nonprofits sponsoring the various greenways was Scott's first task. He also hopes to work on integrating Detroit's burgeoning trails network with the larger regional one and has some ideas about encouraging on-road cycling. "One thing that I really bring to the table because I ride so much is that I know how to get around," he says. "We can make connections between these trail networks."

In October 2007, Model D kicked off a recurring series called D-Biz that is designed to draw attention to small businesses in Detroit that are unique or fill an important niche in their community.

Part of the reason we wanted to start this series was to highlight businesses that are not new but still deliver important services to Detroiters. The city's small businesses are a big part of what make Detroit's neighborhoods liveable, but they don't often get media attention.

As of last week, D-Biz has covered all of our featured neighborhoods. Here's a look at the 21 businesses in 19 neighborhoods that we've covered in the last six months, from bike shops to optical shops, from coffee shops to photo studios, and even a tennis racquet repair shop:

Greening of Detroit is spreading its roots: it has expanded its Michigan Ave. office space by a third, to 3,000 square feet. The extra room was desperately needed: the organization will grow from nine employees in 2007 to 25 by the end of 2008.

The additional staff will be busy this spring planting season. Its core mission is reforesting the city, and tree plantings are scheduled weekly from April 19 through June 7, with an estimated 1,500 trees going into the ground.

Planting so many trees requires plenty of volunteers; call the office at 313-237-8733. A special call is out for hands at a May 17 planting in East English Village, for which 250 slots still need filling.

Greening is also a partner in the ever-growing (no pun intended) Garden Resource Program, which supports urban agriculture in the city. Last year, over 5,500 residents participated in 220 family, 115 community and 20 school gardens. More than 120 tons of food were grown, and Greening is anticipating a 20% increase in both participation and output this year.

Little marketing is done to promote such an increase, says Greening's Ashley Atkinson. "It is literally growing down the street from house to house," she says. "It's really cool, committed people that we are attracting, and that's encouraging." Visit GRP's website to find out how to sign up and when plant pick-ups and workdays are scheduled.

One last thing: Greening's annual tree sale is scheduled for April 19 at Eastern Market, but Atkinson recommends reserving plants ahead of time. With just a month to go, half of the 1,400 trees, bushes and shrubs are already sold.

Residents of Southwest Detroit now have a lovely spot at which to sip a latte -- or better yet, a Mexican hot chocolate: Cafe con Leche is open for business at the Mexicantown Mercado.

The coffee shop is bright and airy with comfortable seating. All the usual suspects are available on the drink menu, but there are some pleasant additions -- for example, strong, sweet Cuban coffee and champurrado, a hot drink made with corn flour, milk and chocolate. "We're trying to introduce a Latin flavor," says proprietor Jordi Carbonell.

On the food side of things, American and Mexican pastries are available as well as paninis.

Carbonell and co-owner Melissa Fernandez decided on the neighborhood first and the exact location second. "The area didn't have a coffee shop, a place to have a meeting," says Carbonell. The concept seems to be taking off: Hubbard Farms neighbors and Detroit Synergy have already held meetings at Cafe con Leche, and its convenient parking is prompting some customers to forgo downtown.

Cafe con Leche is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and later by appointment. There is free wireless internet access and, once the weather warms up, outdoor seating is planned.

The Mexicantown Mercado is at 2826 Bagley Ave. at 20th. Call 248-736-1196 to reach the cafe directly.

The American Institute of Architects has selected Detroit as one of nine cities that will receive a sustainability audit from a Sustainable Design Assessment Team later this year.Teams of volunteer professionals like architects, urban
designers, planners, hydrologists, economists and attorneys will come to the city for a three-day charette and team up with local architecture and
engineering students, along with government officials, community groups
and other stakeholders.

Diane VanBuren Jones of WARM Training
spearheaded the SDAT application and is now coordinating the assessment
itself. She says the out-of-town experts will arrive with "a national
eye on how sustainability will work in your community."

Jones
is particularly interested in mapping the city's energy systems. "We
will take it down to the level of each business," she says.

The group could look at a tortilla factory, for example, she says. "It brings in corn and wheat --
some of it from Ohio instead of Michigan -- and the production uses a
ton of natural gas. There is people energy and transportation energy
and energy to heat and light the building." A map of all such
systems would allow experts to close some energy loops. "How much would
be spent on all of those energy systems if we got smart about it?" she
asks.

The process is motivated by the environment and economics. Money saved by increased energy
efficiency can create prosperity and new jobs, says Jones.

Which
is why her next task is identifying funding sources for entrepreneurs,
neighborhoods and developers interested in investing in green
technologies such as solar panels or anaerobic digesters.

Jones anticipates that the SDAT will focus on areas with a framework for environmental initiatives already in place, like Southwest Detroit, the Woodward Corridor and Eastern Market.

Jones is currently working with several universities, including Wayne State, Michigan State and University of Michigan, to select the date for the SDAT.

The City of Detroit has released a request for proposals for the development of 4,000 units of service-supported rental housing targeted to the homeless. The NEXT Detroit Permanent Supportive Housing
Initiative is looking for developers teamed up with service providers to deliver such a product.

The city, along with partner organization Detroit
Collaborative to End Homelessness Together, recently completed a ten year plan for the elimination of homelessness that calls for a three-pronged strategy: the development of permanent housing called for in this RFP along with prevention and rapid re-housing.

Elterro Carroll, deputy director of the planning and development department hopes that this first round will generate 250 to 500 units over the course of the next two years. He anticipates that applicants will be both teams of developers and service providers as well as single organizations, such as Southwest Solutions, that already do both.

The RFP is deliberately vague as to the size and scope of proposed developments, leaving the door open for large projects sited on large parcels as well as smaller ones; types of housing called for include units designed to serve families, youth and the chronically homeless.

Prospective applicants
can pick up an RFP from PDD's Welcome Center on the second floor of Cadillac Tower. They also can view and download the
RFP at the City’s Website, www.detroitmi.gov/pdd.
On
Feb. 27, applicants are invited to attend an RFP
information session at 10:30 a.m. in the department’s 23rd
floor conference room. Completed proposals are
due on March
28 and development teams selections will be announced on
May 1. For more information call 313-224-1538.

Six months after opening, the 13,000-square-foot Mexicantown Mercado has already begun to fulfill its promise as a culture and business incubator.

Two of the current Mercado tenants are jewelry stores. The Jewelry Center sells silver and gold from Mexico, Italy and Los Angeles and Maya's Jewelry features silver mined from Guanajuato, Mexico.

Hand-poured scented candles, Spanish
books and religious items can be found at the Mexi-Candle Gift Shop. The Felicidades Gift Shop offers Mexican folk art as well as a service decorating events such as Quinceañeras, weddings and graduations.

An independent coffee house, Café con Leche, has signed a lease for 675 square feet and will open soon.

Another space will be reserved as the GM Gallery, featuring rotating exhibits that will help draw visitors to the Mercado. There is also space designed for a restaurant.

This leaves space for five additional vendors -- one of the spaces is 700 square feet and four are 320. The larger leases for $1,200 per month and the smaller, $710. Interested entrepreneurs should contact Myrna Segura, the manager of the business incubator, at 313-967-9898.

This evening, the Wayne County Nuisance Abatement Program (NAP) will host its second annual RAP with NAP forum. The event will, as it did last year, explain NAP's history and how it works.

If a vacant property is ultimately deemed a nuisance by NAP, the county will first work with the owner to either rehab the property or sell it to
someone that will. As a last resort, title is awarded to the county and a new owner is sought.

A new element at this year's RAP includes the Wayne County Community
Renaissance Award, which will be given to five rehabilitation projects that were targeted by NAP lawsuits. The awards will be given to three residential property owners, the owner of a commercial building near the University of Detroit Mercy (pictured) and Bagley Housing Association, for its restoration of an entire block of the Hubbard-Richard neighborhood.

NAP attorney Michael Russell says the five awardees did "exemplary" jobs on their properties. "When people see the 'before' and 'after' pictures, they say, "Wow!' "

Other speakers will include Regina Strong from the Community Development Advocates of Detroit, who will discuss community initiatives that work in tandem with NAP, and Police Inspector Leslie Montgomery, who will share tactics to help neighborhoods prevent vacant properties from becoming nuisance properties.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Wayne County Building. Russell anticipates 100 to 150 attendees.

Each and every day, approximately two tons of flour and corn tortillas leave the doors of La Jalisciense's factory on Bagley Avenue. Some end up just down the street at Honeybee Market/La Colmena, while others end up far across the state and even across the border.

"People come from all over the country to buy tortillas here," says Norma Abundis-Eshaki, who runs the business along with her siblings Sergio Abundis and Myrna Abundis-Alge. "Once someone took some to Mexico City, to the heart of Mexico."

Abundis-Eshaki says the toritllas are all natural, and have been since her father started the company in 1946. "Their flavor is a true flavor," she says. "There are no additional flavors of preservatives or chemicals."

Having been located in the neighborhood for more than 60 years, the Abundis family has seen lots of changes in Southwest Detroit -- in recent years, for the better. "There are quite a few new businesses in the Southwest Detroit area," says Abundis-Eshaki. "Growth generates more growth, which is good for everyone."

La Jalisciense makes white and yellow corn, whole wheat and white flour soft tortillas, as well as masa, the dough used to make tamales. The public is welcome to buy direct from the factory at 2650 Bagley, from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 313-237-0008.

The September 28 grand re-opening of Giovanna's Lounge was 34 years in the making. The bar, located on W. Vernor between W. Grand Blvd. and I-75, was originally opened in 1973 by Giovanna Rodriguez.

In 1986, the bar burned down. She re-opened two years later and operated the neighborhood pub until her retirement in 2005.

That didn't last. "She came back," says Kathy Stott from Mexicantown Hubbard Communities. "She wanted to save the business, reinvest, make sure it didn't fall down the wrong road."

The building, until recently, had an unassuming white facade. Rodriguez invested $30,000 to add awnings, a colorful paint job and a delightful outdoor patio to her bar. Stott says the patio has already been a draw to Matrix Theatre patrons looking for a reason to stay in the neighborhood post-show.

Washington, D.C.-based Social Compact has released initial findings from its study of Detroit demographics. The numbers revealed by their DrillDown approach paints a wealthier and more populous picture of Detroit than does the Census.

This is good news for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., which plans to use the information to attract retailers to the city. The findings include:

The resident population of Detroit is 933,043, nearly 62,000 more than projected by the current Census population estimates.

The average income of a Detroit household is $48,000 as opposed to the 2000 Census estimate of $40,900.

There is $800 million of informal economic activity in Detroit's economy each year. This is income like tips, side-consulting, baby-sitting and the like that do not register on traditional market measures.

The aggregate income of Detroit households, $15.8 billion, is $2 billion greater than indicated by 2000 Census estimates.

At least $1.7 billion of resident retail spending is being leaked outside the city limits.

Traditional census methods tend to undervalue older urban cities for several reasons, one of them being a bias towards new home construction. "The bureau assumes that a certain percentage of homes built before 1940 are retired each year," says Social Compact president and CEO, John Talmage. "The burden rests on the city to prove otherwise."

Immigrants and intergenerational households are also often under-counted.

"This really creates better information for actual business people, developers and brokers," says DEGC project manager Olga Savic. The organization will work to educate these entities, along with government officials and community development corporations, as to how these numbers can be used to leverage commercial investment.

There will also be more surveying at the neighborhood level, which has the
potential to reveal even more residents and income. "The numbers are good enough to go after grocery stores now," says Talmage. "It's just going to get better."

Any slightly-observant Detroit resident -- or even an intermittent Model D reader -- has likely noticed that new businesses are sprouting up all around the city. It's just not happening quickly enough for a couple of local entrepreneurs who have started Open City, a networking group for would-be Detroit business owners.

Over 60 people, a mix of aspiring and actual business owners, attended the group's kick-off meeting at Cliff Bell's on September 18. "We wanted to introduce people to the concept of having a group whose purpose is simply to encourage them and educate them about opening a business in Detroit in an informal manner," says co-founder Liz Blondy of Canine to Five Detroit Dog Daycare.

Blondy and her cohort, Clare Nelson of The Bureau of Urban Living, realized that there were plenty of hurdles standing in the way of starting up a business in Detroit, such as red tape, the perception that the city is unsafe and is not a place where money can be made. Start-up financing is also an issue.

They think the effort is worth it. "People will be so appreciative. They will notice it more then if you
open in the suburbs," Blondy said in her opening remarks. "You’ll get more PR for opening in Detroit.
Detroiters crave new exciting businesses. Being located in Detroit
will help distinguish your business. A high end modern furniture store
in Birmingham? There are like four of them. In Detroit, it is unique."

Detroiter Dave Mancini has been contemplating opening up a pizza parlor in the city for several years. "I gave up on Detroit, to be honest," Mancini says. "It was difficult to get in touch with the type of people I needed to get in touch with, and I was having trouble finding space that was not prohibitively expensive to rehab." He attended the meeting as a last-ditch effort at the urging of a friend.

He's glad he did. "There was such good energy from so many people," Mancini says. He was greatly encouraged by keynote speaker Jackie Victor of Avalon Breads. "Having talked to her made me feel better about my prospects down here," he says. "Since the meeting, I've been making more calls. I realize that I haven't turned over every rock yet."